Framingham DPW director final witness in discrimination suit

The hearing of ex-Framingham official Sandra Charton's discrimination complaint against former Town Manager Julian Suso is slated to end with a final witness' testimony next week.

Danielle Ameden/DAILY NEWS STAFF

The hearing of ex-Framingham official Sandra Charton's discrimination complaint against former Town Manager Julian Suso is slated to end with a final witness' testimony next week.

Department of Public Works Director Peter Sellers is scheduled to testify before a Mass. Commission Against Discrimination hearing officer on Jan. 3. All other witnesses testified the week of Dec. 3.

Charton, who worked as Framingham's director of human resources, alleges Suso fired her out of retaliation in 2009 in the wake of a round of workforce cuts. Suso contends Charton disregarded a hiring freeze and undermined his authority by helping one of her employees make up his hours at the DPW after Suso had cut them back.

Charton was the only witness her attorney Tim Burke called to testify. She is seeking back pay and her job back.

Suso, meanwhile, has been joined by many witnesses testifying in his defense, including former Framingham Assistant Town Manager Tim Goddard, Chief Financial Officer Mary Ellen Kelley and two employees who worked in Charton's office.

After hearing from Sellers, hearing officer Eugenia Guastaferri will issue a decision.

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